Giving evidence for a second day, Stokes said he could not remember the words used by Ali and Mr Hale when they were abusing the gay men near the Mbargo nightclub on Clifton Triangle, Bristol on September 25 last year.

Ryan Ali arrives at Bristol Crown Court Credit: Aaron Chown/PA

He told the jury of six men and six women: “I can’t remember the specific words used, but the manner in which Mr Hale and Mr Ali were speaking towards the two gentlemen was homophobic abuse.

“The temperature obviously rose as I started to intervene with what the two guys were saying towards Mr Barry and Mr O’Connor.

“Mr Barry and Mr O’Connor were shouting back at Mr Hale and Mr Ali.”

Onlooker Max Wilson, who filmed the incident from his bedroom window above, told the court it appeared to start with one man shoving another but Stokes could not recall this.

He described Ali as “aggressive and violent” towards himself, Mr Hales, Mr Barry and Mr O’Connor.

Anna Midgley, representing Ali, asked Stokes: “You have overexaggerated the exchange between Mr O’Connor and Mr Barry and the two Ryans in an attempt to justify your own violent behaviour?”

He denied his lack of recollection was due to being drunk and said he could not say whether he had been hit in the head during the incident.

Mr Corsellis accused of Stokes of lying to the jury and “hiding behind” a lack of recollection because he knew “full well” that he had acted out of revenge.

Stokes replied: “No, all my actions were in self-defence and fearing for my safety.”

Mr Corsellis accused Stokes of thinking “I am going to show you what violence is” and “I am going to retaliate and I am going to punish you and hit you out of revenge” before knocking Ali and Mr Hale unconscious.

He accused Stokes of being “an angry man who has lost all control” and questioned why he had not stopped when told to by teammate Mr Hales.